Moving Stuff to Mexico

My wife and I are retiring in May and plan to move in June to a home we bought in San Miguel de Allende. We paid a visit to the Mexican Consulate here in Fresno CA this morning to start the application process for our Residente Temporal visas. Everything went extremely smoothly because we brought all the paperwork the Consulate suggested on its website.

The very nice man who helped us said we must go to the INM office in Mexico to complete the process get our visa card once we are down there (which we knew.) What was bothersome was that he said at the end that the Consulate here could not issue the Menaje de Casa permit until we returned to the Consulate with the visa card. We were planning to move ourselves and our stuff all at once. Now it seems we have to go there, stay in our unfurnished home and wait around for the visa to be issued by the INM office before we can get our stuff down there.

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

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My wife and I moved here in January 2013. When we went to the consulate in December 2012 for our visas we also brought along the list of things we wanted to bring along (per Rolly's site). On that very same day we received our permanent resident visas AND our menaje. It was a long day and I believe we were the first menaje issued by the consulate in 2013 because the procedure was so new they had to feel their way.

I agree with you about returning back to the US after receiving your credentials from INM. I DO think that is the normal way it is done - but for some reason they let us do it our way. There is one other thing you might want to investigate further. As I mentioned we were going for permanent residency - and the menaje stated that the import of our things was permanent. If you are temporary - the import of your things may be temporary as well. I don't know but someone on this forum brought this point up a while back.

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

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Sorry - I called it a "visa" but it was a page in the passport. I guess you could call it a permit. What it basically is a pre-approval indication for INM in Mexico. It acts as the finnancial screening/background check for INM. When you get to Mexico you don't have to go through that part again. I believe it is the supporting finnancial docs that are most important in the perm/temp decision.

When you get to Mexico and complete the process you will get "residency credentials". Nothing new goes into your passport. I believe INM has streamlined the process but in January 2013 their offices were very very crowded and it took perhaps two months to get our creds.

We (like you) thought it was crazy to move here with nothing and live in an empty house for two months.

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

You do all the preliminary paperwork at the consulate, but the actual, official. card is issued by the INM in México.

The law says the household items you bring with a menaje are temporarily imported, but there is no mechanism for enforcing that requirement. It's much looser that the TIP for you car.

I suggest that you prepare a menaje-like document to take with you to the border as you move your household things into México. This list should include your estimate value of the items. "Value" is what you could reasonably expect to sell the item for; it is not the new or replacement cost.

There is a good chance that you will not be charged anything. And even if you are charged some fee, it will surely be less that your total cost of "camping out" while waiting for your cards, the cost of the round trip back to the consulate, plus the cost of the menaje itself.

Re: [charlie131120] Moving Stuff to Mexico

Thanks, again. We understand about the pre-approval process and getting the actual "residency credentials" from INM in Mexico. But per your earlier post, you apparently got away with something contrary to what the guy at the Consulate told us this morning.

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

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Yes our experience was contrary to what you were told. But we are very nice people :-) as was the guy who processed us at the consulate. We took a trial run to the consulate a month or so before our "official" visit and met with the same guy. I can't say if he went out of his way for us. I do know that we got to the consulate at about 8AM and walked out about 7PM - and we were the only three people left in the building at that hour.

Another experience that differed for us was at the border. We had our menaje in hand and did NOT use a broker. True it was about 5 or 6AM on a Sunday morning...

Re: [Rolly] Moving Stuff to Mexico

We know about the process to get our actual official residency cards but the guy at the Consulate here insisted that we must follow the process I described in my initial post: get the official card at INM in Mexico then return to the Consulate for the Menaje de Casa. He implied we'd never get our stuff over the border without getting some kind of unspecified document from the Consulate here.

We don't have a lot of stuff to move (little furniture, no appliances and 25-30 3'x3' boxes) and I was considering doing it ourselves. But my wife is nervous about that and we are thinking about using a professional mover. What are their requirements? One mover who was recommended to us in SMA said he would prepare a Menaje in Spanish if we would send it to him in English. But who gets the Consulate's blessing? In either event we would take our valuables in my pickup on a TIP.

I read somewhere that one no longer needs to use a customs broker. True?

Thanks, again.

HMacy

PS: You have a terrific website. It was recommended to me by several people and has a plethora of information, not only about moving to Mexico but life in Mexico.

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

There is a big difference between what some Mexican Consulates tell people versus what Aduana actually does at the borders.

Mexican Consulates have ZERO authority over what happens as you enter Mexico at the border, because the Consulates are a part of SRE (the equivalent of the US State department) while Aduana (Customs) is under a very different government organization called SAT, and they have follow different rules that what the Consulate employees say. (Just like the US borders, where it is Border Patrol & Customs people you deal with, there are NO SRE - State Department people at the border)

We were told by the Mexican Consulate in Denver that we MUST have a fully Consular-approved Menaje de Casa to enter Mexico with a truckload, trailer-load, and car load of our household goods. It took 3 trips (11 hours) and a lot of hassles to get the Consulate to finally approve our Menaje de Casa list.

When we arrived at the Matamoros border crossing, we tried to get the Aduana (Customs) officials to look at our Menaje de Casa list, and they just waved it off. We tried again, later as they processed our car and truck import papers, and the second group of Aduana officials just laughed, looked at it long enough to confirm that we had no contraband, and waved it off. ...

If you follow years of internet reports from people bringing in pick-up truck loads, van-loads, and 10 ft - 16 ft trailer-loads of their PERSONAL HOUSEHOLD GOODS, the most common report is that Aduana looks at your unofficial Menaje de Casa STYLE list of what's in your load, including the numbered boxes and the contents of each box. Most people are charged nothing and waved through. A few people with big big loads of household goods, including enough tools to start a business are asked to pay token duties - like $150 to $350 USD in duties.

Multiple friends of ours have done this successfully on multiple trips where they brought in trailerloads of household goods. Expect the Aduana officials to give your load a quick "once-over" look - and they likely will ask you to open a box or 2. They will match the box #'s with your un-approved Menaje de Casa list, and compare the contents of the box with your list's inventory for that box. If everything matches up - great!

Remain calm and helpful as the Aduana people at the border inspect your load.

Remain calm and helpful as the military - soldiers with automatic weapons - scan your load for weapons or drugs- at the border and at random checkpoints.

Remain calm and helpful at the 25 km Aduana checkpoint inside Mexico as you cross out of the border zone.

Remain calm and helpful as police give your load a quick look at various rentenes.

Remain calm and helpful as you cross state borders, as State border officials may ask to see inside your load.

At all of these points, if they ask to see your load, also quickly offer them a copy of your ad hoc Menaje de Casa list. They love to see our computer printed lists - and if their boss ever asks them to justify why the waved you through, they show the boss your list. This also explains why you might want to bring 3 or 4 copies of the list - but don't sweat it - likely only the Aduana guy at the border will keep a copy.

Since foreigners who reside in Mexico are allowed a load of household goods duty free, using a Menaje de Casa, the officials along the way are used to see us gringos dragging trailerloads of our household stuff - cars packed to the gills - and the wave us through - especially if you have pets or kids with you.

So, rather than thinking that Charlie got away with something (or slid one by), really, his experience was the norm.

Re: [YucaLandia] Moving Stuff to Mexico

Thanks, Steve. Your post was very informative, as is the YucaLandia site which we have visited often. The process about the Menaje de Casa has always been a bit confusing to us. It seemed to be as you describe it, so we were a bit taken aback by the guy's comments at the Consulate this morning and concern set in.

We really don't have that much stuff to move but more than a pickup's worth and we don't want to haul a trailer down there. So . . . . we'll likely hire a reputable mover. I do wonder, however, how movers handle the crossing.

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

A professional mover will have to use a customs broker (at least they did before Jan 1, 2014), which means if a mover moves your things on your trip to get your Residente Temporal permits, then you will need to make the list of goods anyway, and pay full duties on your things.

If you want to not pay the 16% (or more) in duties, you would need to either move yourself on the Residente Temporal trip, (hoping to cross with no problems or small duties), or wait to move things until you have your R.T. permits and use your Residente Temporal exemption on importing a load of household goods. Safe Travels, steve - Read-on MacDuff E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

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I missed your "got away with something" statement. I don't see it that way. By that point in our planning process we had already researched what we wanted to bring down and how could we get it there. In mid 2012 I contacted moving companies. I looked into shipping it by sea, I looked into having a large mover simply come to the house and pack/ship it for us (this made me appreciate how much easier life is when a large employer asks you to relocate), I looked into loading a U-Haul and driving the stuff to the border in Texas and then giving it to someone to drive the stuff down. (By the way - we were told that that approach is very costly because the truckers were not allowed to 'aggregate' loads.) By far the cheapest route was to purchase a trailer of our own and drive ourselves. I had never driven a trailer before but looked at it as a challenge.

So I had reached that decision 'before' I visited the consulate. I probably mentioned to the guy there that I wanted to make the 2500 mile trip once and not make it a 7500 mile trip. Perhaps he heard me and pushed for me - or perhaps what I wanted was always possible but simply not the normal way. But - if he would have come back to me and said it was not possible - I would have researched who I needed to speak to next to make it possible - because it just might have thrown a wrench into the process.

But as Steve alludes to, above all you have to be agreeable at every step.

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

For what it is worth, I would suggest the following. My personal experience in moving here for good and I was on a (at the time an FM3).

I followed Rolly's printed example to the T and did it exactly as is described in his example. only difference was I made 6 or 7 full copies and I had only one left at the finish of my trip from Brownsville (at the time a particular tough Aduana crossing). Another difference I made was to give each box a number (as suggested) but I did it on all four sides as well as top and bottom of the boxes in large black marker with an individual list also taped to all four sides and the top of each box. Yes it is a bit of work but as YucaLandia says they (Aduana) loved the computer generated lists in both Spanish and English. Also YucaLandia is bang on about meeting different folks (Aduana at 25 mile checkpoint, Army, or other military checkpoints, and or either state or Federal police checkpoints) just be polite and not nervous. These folks are only doing their jobs and it is usually as tough on them as it is on you. remember also to read rolly's list very clearly and don't rush to sell your second computer as it will tell you that EACH PERSON (ADULT or CHILD), is allowed one Computer a laptop or a desk top, plus a monitor, plus a printer, a backup hard drive and any other related computer station item such as speakers etc. Remember, that is for each person in the car as you cross. Adult or child as are most other limited items such as cameras, binoculars, etc. So don't read the list that Rolly sampled as you want to read it, but better to read it as it is clearly written. This will save you time and money.

When I moved here I brought with me, three different loads in a Tahoe and a dual axel enclosed trailer, loaded and I mean loaded with typical Gringo "stuff" including more power tools that I really needed to bring. I think they most importantly want to see that you did your reading and made a good and complete list. Several times, I was asked (at various check points), to open a box or two just to see if the numbers matched the lists. In fact if I were you, I would expect to be waved over for an inspection and count on it, then if you are (and many times you will be) waved on by then smile and say gracious.

I live just south of SMA and make the trip every three months and have had very good luck bringing items across with me both using my trailer and not. The key, I believe, is to always make a comprehensive list and include make, model, and serial numbers of any electric / electronic goods. I continue to do that to this day, as I go every three months NOB and come back with quite a load.

As for your nervous wife, I don't blame her, it can be an intimidating time, but only if you let it be. For goodness sake, please save your selves thousands of dollars and do it your self. First of all, your small load will only be a partial load on a large truck and your goods will most likely be handled many, many times moving them around, and many times folks paying to have things moved find a item or six missing when their goods arrive or some broken from rough handling. Do it yourselves and save the hassles, worry's and be more comfortable doing so. Remember your Mexican car insurance will include your trailer, but not the goods inside of it. Use your current homeowners policy for that part if you wish to insure your goods from theft or accident.

Unless the amounts have changed with the new president in office, I was allowed three thousand dollars worth of goods, not three hundred on a permanent move to México. Maybe that has changed, I don't know for sure so check with others who have made a permanent move under the new president's rules, more recently. Relax and enjoy the trip, use the cuota's and drive only at daylight hours.

Your trip from the border to SMA probably will mean probably an overnight at a hotel in Matehuala depending upon where you cross. I now use the Anzaldúas crossing, from Mission, Texas, as I find it safe and convenient for me, but I believe that would be too far East for you to be practical. Check with others who have made such a move as to which crossing has been bothersome with such inspections. Check with others about places to stay overnight at with protected overnight parking at the hotels they use.

Always check and recheck you change for money spent at gas stations, before you pocket it and recount it in front of the attendant. Always ask for a receipt (nota) and check the amount of the as compared to what your pump says. Always check the pump is set at zero before getting your gas. Most stations ask you to do this, before they start to fuel your car. Do it for sure. never pull so far ahead of the pump that you cannot see the amounts being delivered, no matter if the attendant asks you to move forward or not. A favorite rip off at some Pemex stations is to short change you. remember your Cuota, tariffs are going to be a little more than double depending on the sixe and number of your trailers axels. I always plan on it costing double plus ten percent and I am never surprised when I take my trailer with me. there is however an upside to this, as Esperanza can personally attest to. Always keep your Cuota receipt as it is also an additional insurance policy for anything that can happen to your car and or trailer. Drop Esperanza a PM and ask about her experience with insurance on Cuota's. Moreover, relax and have a great trip. It really is a great experience not to be missed and not a difficult one either. Have your wife keep a log of your trip and look back at it next year after your move, it will probably give you a few chuckles. (smiling)

Good Luck and have a good trip, If you like cappuccinos, all OXXO's Usually at most Pemex stations have excellent flavored ones. And not expensive either. OH and I almost forgot, make sure to keep a full roll of Toilet paper with you at all times. Most "rest stops (baños or sanitorios) do not provide paper for your comfort. Neither do most have toilet seats. So a covering of TP along the edge of the baño is a good idea as well as carrying a bottle or two of sanitizer, and a roll of paper towels. I always do and never regret it.

Re: [robt65] Moving Stuff to Mexico

Thanks, Robt65. Your post and the others have been most helpful. We have decided to do it ourselves and are now shopping for a trailer.

One, hopefully final, question for all: we plan to cross at Laredo. Is the Aduana office just over the bridge a "one stop" shop for both the Menaje de Casa inspection and to get the TIP for the pickup and trailer?

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

I really cannot tell you much about Lerado as I only went through there one time and decided not to go back as it was very crowded as well as being a little ominous after leaving the are before getting on a Cuota. Some folks like it, but I remember the lack of trailer parking and very narrow security openings to drive through to go to the parking for the various offices. Others who frequent that crossing with trailers would be a better bet for getting a feel for it.

I can tell you a little about trailers as I have had many of them. I would never own a single axel trailer again for many reasons, one of the best reasons is the steering tracking a dual axel trailer offers over a single axel trailer. also if you balance our load out over the axels it is a piece of cake to pull and steer when backing up. But no matter what trailer you get, I highly suggest reversing the axel(s) for the reasons I described to you earlier.

I would also suggest getting a good two inch hitch as well as an anti sway device and load leveler added to your hitch assembly, especially traveling the distance you are going to be doing. Another item that is a must have is towing mirrors. Many if not most by now require (by state law) that trailer towing mirrors are used when towing a trailer. The best I have found over the years is one called Mckesh mirrors. They are well worth the money and what I really like about them is there is virtually no vibration when driving. I have had a set for over four years now and have used them on several different vehicles. They are easy put on and off and once you have them adjusted for your particular tow vehicle you can put them on and off in about two minutes each. I have other "clip on's" that aren't worth a hoot and some have fallen off when traveling. That I can tell you is not a picnic. http://blog.hensleymfg.com/...uvqb0CFWEV7AodS2EATQ If you load balance your trailer before leaving you will not even know it is back there if you also use the load leveling and anti sway add on's to your hitch assembly.

Many times you can find a good used hitch assembly thru Craig's list or other similar site and save about half. The Mckesh mirrors however are scarce as "hen's teeth" when looking for a used set. That ought to tell you something about how folks covet them. What are you pulling your trailer with?

Anyway, Have fun and make an adventure of it, you should enjoy it a lot.

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

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In January 2013 we came across at Laredo pulling a 5 X 8 trailer behind our Jeep Cherokee very very early on a Sunday morning having spent the night in Laredo. I will say this - it was rather confusing trying to find our way within the border crossing area itself. In fact I'm pretty sure we almost crossed back over to the US side until someone righted us. A little stressful but not too bad. As for the parking of the Jeep/Trailer while we were attending to our paperwork - that also wasn't a big deal - possibly because of the hour. I simply occupied 3 or 4 spaces - and periodically ran outside to make sure the four cats were ok.

I saw Robert's post and I'm sure there is a lot of wisdom there but my wife and I are not hard core trailer people and we just used the hitch/mirrors the Jeep came with. As I mentioned, our enclosed trailer was small (5x8) and after the first day it really was just like driving without it (for the most part). We DID put locking lug nuts on the wheels and purchased one of those gizmo locks that wraps the wheel itself so no one could ever drive away with the trailer.

We drove all the way from the east coast without ever having to back up ! I did practice (to kill time) in some of the hotel parking lots. Try and put as much of the weight over the axle. I re-packed the trailer the first night and it made a big difference.Oh and the biggest thing - the night we reached Laredo I went to check on the trailer and realized the 'bolt' which holds the trailer hitch to the Jeep was just barely inserted. Had we hit a good pothole we would have been dragging the trailer by the chains. That night I purchased one of those locking bolts.

We spent a night in Saltillo and a night in Quetero (both of which I have spelled incorrectly). Both hotels were VERY helpful when it came to secure parking with easy in/out access. Our biggest problem was finding places which would let us stay with four cats. Got to the point we had to refine our 'story' to be ... pets.

I wish you were here in Mexico - I could give you a good deal on an almost new 2013 trailer :-) But at the moment it is used as a storage locker...

If you take the downtown bridge (#1), you turn right as you exit INM. see the map

If you take the I-35 bridge (#2), you turn left as you exit INM.

How big a trailer are you planning to haul?

If you plan to drag a big 16' or 20' trailer, then Robert's advice on a 2" ball is good. If you are hauling a small utility trailer (e.g. with an 8 ft. box), then the 1-7/8" works fine. The biggest safety issue: Keep your speeds below 65, because there can be so many surprises on Mexican roads ~ for newbies ~ who are not familiar with a route.

e.g. You'll likely see horses or donkeys grazing right next to the road-side - tethered by ropes that are just short enough to keep the horse off the pavement. You can guess what happens when the rope fails on a section of road with a somewhat-blind curve => bashed-beastie and ruined vehicle. (there were 2 on our last trip across Mexico). :(

Re: [charlie131120] Moving Stuff to Mexico

We were planning on, but have not yet purchased, a 5x10 or 5x12 single axle enclosed cargo trailer to pull behind our Toyota Tacoma which has the factory trailer package. We won't have all that much weight (less than 1600 lbs.) But I am taking Robert's advice about a dual axle into consideration. It's just that the dual axles are so much more expensive than the singles and this will be our only trip with it, as I will be returning it to the US to sell it shortly after the move.

Re: [YucaLandia] Moving Stuff to Mexico

Thanks, Steve. We are thinking of a 5x10 or 5x12 single axle enclosed cargo trailer, but are taking Robert's advice about a dual axle into consideration.

Thanks for the map. I see that one Aduana office handles both bridges. Does that pone office handle both the Menaje inspection and issue the TIP?

Over the weekend I learned one can now get the TIP and windshield sticker for the vehicle mailed to you after filling out an on-line application and sending the fee and deposit. Do you know if that been working out for people?

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

I, and others, regularly use the online access to get our TIPs. Works fine and is super quick delivery to your US address. It will be delivered via DHL within 2-3 days after you go online. You will be asked 'which border crossing' you plan on using but even if you change your mind "no harm no foul". I've not added a trailer but I do remember that the online process accommodates this. Also, don't forget to get your Mexican car insurance (elsewhere online).

Re: [HMacy] Moving Stuff to Mexico

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We paid right around $2000 US for our 2013 5x8 Lark bull-nosed trailer which was about one month old. The previous owner needed a larger trailer. The price included the new spare, some hinges inside to tie off the cargo, the locking lug nuts, taxes, registration, the wheel in the front of the trailer so I could walk it around empty, etc.

I'm not sure which bridge we used. We stayed at the Red Roof Inn (pet friendly) and crossed the border in the pre-dawn hours of a Sunday. Traffic was not an issue. The sun rose just after we cleared Aduana and were on our way to INM. With Visas/TIP in hand we had no problem finding our way on to Monterey - our problem was in getting between Aduana and INM - you kind of had to go through some small side streets.

We got our Mexican car/trailer insurance through AAA US. They had a relationship with some Mexican company (I think GBP).

When I started to fill out the online request for a TIP I got hung up on some question - and stopped. We were going down as permanent residents. At that time perhaps you could not get a one month TIP online. As I remember the INM and TIP windows were only about 30 feet apart anyway.

Re: [RickS] Moving Stuff to Mexico

With all due respect Rick, that is not quite true. If you have let's say your TIP for both truck and trailer, and you decide you want to go back NOB with just your truck, it is permissible as long as when you when to cancel your TIP after the time period you do leave with both truck and trailer. You do not have to renew your TIP or turn it in if say after three months you go back for a week of so and then return to Mexico, pickup your trailer and get back through the border before your 180 days are up. The only question you may get asked (once in three years for me) where is your trailer, ah . . . . . . it is at my home in such and such. That is good enough for them. Who wants to drag an empty trailer around, especially with the double + cost of the cuota's. I've been doing it for over four years now at several different border crossings, no problem.

Re: [charlie131120] Moving Stuff to Mexico

........................ When I started to fill out the online request for a TIP I got hung up on some question - and stopped. We were going down as permanent residents. At that time perhaps you could not get a one month TIP online. As I remember the INM and TIP windows were only about 30 feet apart anyway.

If you are Residente Permanente, you are not permitted to drive a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico.